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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Federal Emergency Management Agency Representatives Begin Assessing Damage in Kentucky
FRANKFORT, Ky.– Governor Steve Beshear directed multiple efforts today to ensure that Kentucky citizens receive the assistance they need to recover from devastating floods. The Governor requested a disaster declaration for Kentucky’s farm families from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsac, and also directed the temporary suspension of restrictions on certain motor carriers and utility vehicles delivering disaster relief supplies. Also today, federal assessment teams are on the ground across Kentucky, evaluating damages from recent storms. More than half the state’s counties have now declared states of emergency.
“After viewing flooding and damages throughout western Kentucky yesterday, it was clear that we need to expedite any assistance that can help our families recover more quickly,” said Gov. Beshear. “The floods have had devastating impact on spring plantings, and we need to move relief supplies into the state as fast as we can. I will continue to do everything in my power to ease recovery efforts for families.”
Yesterday, Gov. Beshear toured some of the state’s hardest hit areas in the western portion of the state. The Governor also requested a major disaster declaration from the President of the United States for Individual Assistance, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation and Small Business Administration disaster loans.
One fatality has been attributed to this week’s storms.
The widespread effects of the flooding continue to impact Kentuckians across the Commonwealth, as rivers that have not yet crested continue to rise. The Governor’s written request to Agriculture Secretary Vilsac is the necessary first step to initiate the process for a Secretarial Disaster Designation. This designation is necessary for several USDA disaster assistance programs to become available to farmers across the Commonwealth.
In keeping with Gov. Beshear's declaration of emergency and pledge to do whatever it takes to help victims of the disaster, Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock today signed an order temporarily suspending certain regulatory restrictions on motor carriers and utility vehicles engaged in disaster response.
The order, which is effective until May 15, applies to vehicles delivering food, water, medicine and other critical supplies. It also applies to vehicles engaged in restoration of public utilities, including waste disposal and debris removal.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representatives continue to arrive in Kentucky to begin assessments. The federal teams work alongside representatives from Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM), small business administration and local emergency management. These joint assessment teams will assess all damages to infrastructure, businesses and homes in each county with a disaster declaration in order to calculate the magnitude of loss. The total assessments will help determine the level of federal disaster relief.
John Heltzel, director of KYEM, said, "We are doing everything we can to assist with the protection of citizens in the Commonwealth, including mobilizing additional personnel to help with flood waters in western Kentucky. Our FEMA federal coordinating officer (FCO) arrived today and has assured us, as always, they are here to assist and help our Commonwealth in any way they can."
Currently, 66 counties and 27 cities have declared states of disaster.
The Kentucky National Guard (KyNG) continues its support with approximately 128 Guardsmen equipped with tactical vehicles providing civic support to western Kentucky in response to the flooding along the Ohio River. These troops continue to conduct water barrier and sandbagging operations in Ballard and Livingston Counties as well as law enforcement support in Henderson, Fulton and McCracken Counties.
Emergency management officials continue urging motorists to avoid driving through flooded roadways and report any downed power lines to their local utilities or emergency management.
Please visit http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lmk to monitor river and lake levels throughout Kentucky. You may also sign up for United States Geological Society's (USGS) Water Alerts, an application that allows users to receive updates at any of the sites where USGS collects real-time water information. Daily or hourly updates are sent via e-mail or text messages when the current conditions meet or surpass a threshold of concern determined by the user. The site to sign up for USGS Water Alert is http://water.usgs.gov/wateralert.
For road closures and conditions, please visit www.511.ky.gov, or call 511.
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